A rare century-old Tasmanian Tiger pelt has arrived at the National Museum after it was discovered in a New Zealand taxidermist business.
A New Zealand canoe and taxidermy business housed the pelt for decades before it was discovered in 2017.
The thylacine pelt is in remarkable condition, featuring distinct details such as a nose, tail, bones, tissue and ligaments of the paws.
"This skin is incredibly significant because its beautiful preserved. It's one of the best-preserved thylacine skins in existence," Head curator Dr Martha Sear told SBS News.
Thylacine pelt. Source: SBS News
"When you have great preservation it means you can see every detail about the animal and understand its life in much more detailed and complex ways."
It was originally acquired by an avid fauna collector, Archibald Robertson in 1923, before it was passed down to his only daughter in 1970 upon his death.
The Australian government helped support the purchase through the National Cultural Heritage account for $250,000 in late 2018.
The last known thylacine died on 7 September 1936 at Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart. They were officially declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of nature in 1982.
